In spite of overwhelming, bipartisan support in the State Senate,
a plan to create a state Veterans Health Insurance Program appears
dead in the Oklahoma House, its Senate author, State Sen. Andrew
Rice, D-OKC, said today.

Rice said that Rep. Ron Peterson, R-Broken Arrow, Chairman of
the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee,
has informed veterans groups that he will not allow the bill to
be heard.

“I’m extremely disappointed that Chairman Peterson
is single-handedly attempting to kill a plan to allow health care
access for every Oklahoma veteran,” Rice said. “With
45 votes, we had a strong spirit of bipartisan cooperation in the
Senate but I can only conclude that bipartisan support and the welfare
of our veterans has no meaning to the House Republican leadership.”

Rice’s plan to create a state Veterans Health Insurance
Program that provides coverage to uninsured Oklahoma veterans below
age 65 would fill a void left when veterans return to civilian life
and can’t afford private health insurance, yet earn too much
to qualify for free or means-tested health care through the Veterans
Administration.

The bill’s House author, Representative Ray McCarter, a
Democrat from Marlow, said it is a travesty the veteran’s
health care insurance bill is being denied a fair hearing in the
Oklahoma House of Representatives.

“The men and women of Oklahoma who have defended the values
of America, who have fought for democracy and freedom around the
world deserve quality health care,” said McCarter, who is
a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and fought in the Viet Nam war.
“This is really a matter of respect and dignity. Soldiers
that have made the ultimate sacrifices for America should not be
denied access to health care. The Republican leadership in the House
is playing a dangerous game with the lives of living and breathing
Oklahoma heroes. Our veterans deserve more.”

“It is not right that we have one veteran, much less thousands,
who have sacrificed for their country yet have no access to health
care once they return to private life,” said Col. (Ret.) Katherine
Scheirman, M.D., Treasurer of the Oklahoma Democratic Party Veterans
Committee. “We appreciate Senator Rice’s efforts and
have encouraged him to keep fighting for us.

Rice said he was confident that his bill would easily pass the
House of Representatives if it were allowed on the floor for consideration.

Rice’s bill creates a Health Insurance Program that would
require veterans to pay premiums and co-payments based on their
household income. Insurance coverage would become effective for
eligible veterans beginning July 1, 2009. Several states have already
taken steps to qualify uninsured veterans for a state insurance
program. Under the Oklahoma program adopted by a 45-1 vote in the
State Senate, veterans will be required to pay premiums and co-payments
based on their household income. Veterans can lose eligibility if
they don’t make timely payment of their premiums or if they
live in a nursing home or inmate correctional facility;

Nationally, almost two-thirds of uninsured veterans are employed
and nearly nine in ten worked within the past year, according to
a Harvard University study.

“I believe every veteran has earned the right to qualify
for some form of health insurance,” Rice said. “None
of these veterans who are without health insurance, entered their
military service by asking what was in it for them.”